Part three of what to expect when buyting a house

Priced at $299,000, this classic colonial at 21 Webber St. in Bloomingdale could be ideal for the car collector, hobbyist, or contractor. The home features three bedrooms, a ground floor den/office, and a family room. It includes parking for 10 cars and a garage with twin commercial-sized bays. A grassy fenced yard, and basement recreation room may add to the appeal.

Editor’s note: This is the third installment of the "What to Expect When…" series with Realtor, Warren Frerichs of Realty Executive.

Your heart is palpating as you finally realize, not only do you need a new place to call home, but you need to sell your existing home as well. Your questions are endless as you find yourself a Realtor, but before you put your "for sale" sign on the front lawn, here are some considerations. Warren Frerichs of Realty Executives spoke to Suburban Trends to discuss tips for would-be sellers before they put their home on the market.

"First of all, forget everything you think you know about selling your house. Forget what happened 30 years ago when you bought your house. Forget about getting a mortgage from the local banker and there being no appraisal, no home inspection, or no issues. Forget about the handshake deal. Those days are done," said Frerichs.

Frerichs said that today’s contracts are reviewed by attorneys, inspected by an independently contracted home inspector and pest control company, a radon company, a septic and possibly a structural engineer.

"In addition the town may inspect for proper grip-sized handrails, proper house numbers, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and a big red fire extinguisher mounted in plain view within 10 feet of the kitchen. Nobody is buying your problems, and a good Realtor won’t let that happen," he explained.

So how can you prepare your home to be listed and eventually, sold?

The Agent

According to Frerichs, "You should expect your agent to help you get the house ready to sell. If they tell you everything is fine, and the house has lots of potential, they are not very experienced; keep interviewing."

The Home

Is your house painted in neon green, deep purple, or electric blue? Well, according to Frerichs, these aforementioned colors will not help you sell the house to a prospective buyer.

"Soothing, neutral, and popular colors are important. Are you still sporting the 1989 dusty pink paint job? Get rid of it. Ask your favorite paint store what are the popular colors, and go for it. It’s not about YOU; it’s about THEM," he said.

With that, Frerichs mentioned, "hardwood flooring is almost expected. More people have allergies today than ever before and they don’t want your like-new, five-year-old-carpeting."

He continued, "We have a saying that really rings true: Clutter kills. Serious sellers will heed the advice and clean up. If you’re moving anyway, why not start getting rid of the things you are not taking to the new house? Start by calling the kids to come get their stuff out of the garage, basement, and attic. If nothing else, it gives you room for the excess stuff you want to keep, but doesn’t fit into your room staging plan."

Along with decluttering your existing home, Frerichs urges his sellers to also "depersonalize" the home by "taking down family photos and packing away the Winnie the Pooh cookie jars. Open space and clean countertops sell."

Frerichs also said, "Consider having a home inspection yourself months before you plan to sell. Then set a systematic course of action to correct any problems. The bottom line is that anything you fix on your time, and your dime, will cost you less than having it fixed under the time pressure of a real-estate contract."

He said that he has seen buyers walk away from properties at the first sign of moisture in the basement. So, when finding a home inspector to detect potential problems, also consider water damage/problems so they can be alleviated before buyers come in and spot them on their own.

The Showing

"Once the house is ready, it’s time to start showing. Be flexible and accommodating to any buyer. You never know who is going to buy your house; just insist that they are prequalified," stressed Frerichs.

According to Frerichs, a seller should "leave the house ready to show every day. In the world of instant messaging, texting and twittering, people expect instant gratification. They may not want to reschedule for next week just because you were not ready."

When listing your home, Frerichs said to be mindful of the savvy shopper as everyone in this day and age is online.

"Be sure your listing includes a virtual tour done by a professional photographer. Photos snapped on a cell phone are no substitute for the quality provided by a true professional. Recognize that everyone is shopping online. People also will read between the lines. If a room is not photographed, they will properly assume that the room is not photo worthy, and in need of repair," he explained.